Transfer Advice (Who should I ask and what should I be asking?)

I'm looking to transfer out of my university to a school which will give me an opportunity to do some sort of research I'd be interested in (my current school does not offer any research in physics). I was wondering if anybody could help me with who I should be asking for advice, I understand that coming to the forum with a question like "Should I choose school A or school B" wouldn't help as much as asking people who've gone there or visiting etc. Still, I'm not sure who I *should* be asking, or really, what questions I should be asking.

For example, I'm considering Case Western Reserve [more than likely won't attend due to cost, but that's another matter] because my (basic) research on the school shows that they have people researching topics I'm interested in. . .but I'm not sure how I should follow up this.
I had never heard of the school until I googled around for schools and found it, so I don't really know much about it. I understand that rating websites don't have to reflect the quality of a physics program so I'm guessing I shouldn't really rely on those and I'm not sure where I should get more info about the programs they have. I have looked at their website a bit, but it's not that helpful.
Would it be appropriate to ask if anyone had any experience with a particular school here, or should that be in General Discussion? This isn't the only school I'm considering, but it's a good example of my lack of information.